Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
Introduction
A World Without Water 3-6
Our Glimpse Into This World 7
Well Done
A Simple Response 9
No Longer Just A Project But a Reality 13
A Call to Responsibility and Action 15
Banda
Journeying Across the Country, The Impact of Dedicated Individuals 19
A Truck Ride Through Bui Nationa lPark 25
A People in Need 29
Meeting Heroes
Fred Dimado 11-12
Dr. Margaret 21-22
Banda Boys 23-24
Koby 27-28
Lessons Learned
Dear Reader, Learning to Think Long-term, Meeting The Experts, Implementation on a Local Level 35
Community Involvement & Ownership, A Holistic Approach 37
capacities. We thank you for taking the time to read A Guiding Philosophy – But a Small Part of a Big Picture 39
This past summer, we had the privilege of traveling to
Ghana with a group of close friends. The purpose of our through this trip report, and it is our hope that through
A Different Perspective
trip was to visit and commission two wells for project these pages, you too will learn, observe, and receive Greg’s Experience 41
Well Done, a clean water effort we helped launch and inspiration. While the words and images that fill this
support from 2007 and into 2008. From the months report ultimately cannot do our experiences justice, we Developing a Clean Water Solution
The Process 43-44
spent working on the project implementation to actually hope that they may provide you with a glimpse into our
Costs of Drilling a Well 45
traveling to the villages to visit the completed wells, the journey – all the sights we encountered, the lessons we
journey has quite simply been an incredible one. Along learned, and the amazing individuals we met that have Farewell 48
the way, we’ve learned the complexities of implement- radically impacted our lives and challenged us to action.
Well Done Team 49
ing a clean water project in a remote region of a devel-
oping country, observed the plight of those living in With Warm Regards, Acknowledgements 50
3–4
6,000
people die every day from
1
person dies every 15 seconds
water-related disease
Water Matters
The numbers are staggering. According to the most recent the daily struggle to find and retrieve water, there is a dire
global statistics, there are approximately 1.2 billion people realization that without a local and safe water supply, no ef-
throughout the world who lack access to safe drinking water. fective and sustainable improvement in living conditions can
In perhaps an even more sobering statistic, the World Health occur. Schools can be built, yet children remain too sick to
Organization estimates that approximately 6,000 children attend or are otherwise relegated to the daily duty of haul-
die every day from water-related diseases. The lack of this ing water over long distances for their families. Healthcare
most fundamental of resources, clean water, remains one of services can be provided, yet those treated are only left to
the most vicious perpetuators of poverty and sickness in the immediately become ill again after consumption of contami-
developing world. Without a basic foundation of safe drink- nated water. Hygienic and sanitary practices can be taught,
ing water and sanitation, the work to improve health care, yet without the availability of clean water for hand washing,
eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, increase access to children continue to be infected with diarrheal disease, one
education, and address nearly every other, non-violent hu- of the leading causes of child mortality throughout the de-
manitarian crisis facing the developing world, all remain an veloping world. For 1.2 billion people throughout the planet,
uphill battle. For those of us with a seemingly endless sup- a world without clean water means a world of little hope for
ply of safe water at the turn of a knob, the connection is dif- the improvement of living conditions.
ficult to make, but for those whose livelihood depends upon
5–6
Our Glimpse Into
This World
In the summer of 2005, a group of us traveled to Ghana
through Pioneers-Africa, a Christian missions organiza-
tion dedicated to serving the most remote and underde-
veloped regions of the country. During that trip, our eyes
were opened to a landscape full of beauty, a culture rich in
tradition, and a people radiant in warmth and hospitality.
Among all that we saw during our travels though, one en-
counter stood apart from the rest. In a small village that
we visited during a brief medical campaign, we met a group
of Ghanaian children, not yet five years in age, each suffer-
ing from severe cases of malaria. Their bodies looked tired
and feeble, yet they nonetheless managed to greet us with
broad smiles on their faces. After a doctor’s examination,
the children received malaria pills that were prescribed to
treat their illnesses. With these pills clenched tightly in
their hands, they proceeded to run off to the closest wa-
ter source, a nearby pot sitting under the sun. In a sight of
crushing irony, we stood and watched as the children ea-
gerly scooped up the murky, insect-ridden water to swallow
the medicine they clenched in their hands. Much stayed
with us from our trip to Ghana, yet perhaps nothing more
than this sight of a small group of Ghanaian children, eagerly
and unknowingly attempting to swallow the cure to the ill-
nesses that plague them with a very source of illness itself.
7–8
Well Done
A Simple Response
While the numbers are indeed staggering and the issues of village, we could still do something that radically impacts and
poverty in the developing world deep-rooted and complex, an possibly even saves the lives of others. Throughout 2007 and
encounter in a small Ghanaian village has remained with us, into 2008, we worked closely with Pioneers-Ghana on the proj-
compelling us to action. During that first trip to Ghana, we had ect, leveraging their strong local presence and relationships in
been hosted by Fred Dimado, the National Director of Pioneers- various remote villages throughout the country to identify a
Ghana (we more commonly refer to him as “Uncle” Fred, a title community with a particularly dire water supply situation. This
of respect and endearment in the Ghanaian culture). In him, we process led us to the village of Nso Nyame ye (on-soon-yah-me-
discovered a trusted partner and a true role model in his pas- yeh), located near Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana.
sionate and sacrificial commitment to the welfare of the coun- We raised the financial resources necessary to cover the cost of
try’s most impoverished and underrepresented peoples and drilling the well (see p. 45-46), while Uncle Fred and our partners
communities. In the years following our trip, we continued our at Pioneers-Ghana worked diligently with the leaders of the
correspondence with Uncle Fred and occasionally bounced po- village, the proper governmental agencies, and various profes-
tential project ideas back and forth. sional experts in technically and logistically seeing the project
through. In another remarkable turn of events, our one well un-
Then, towards the beginning of 2007, we had a completely spon- expectedly multiplied into two, as word of our project reached
taneous idea – would it be possible to drill a well in Ghana? leaders at the international headquarters of Pioneers. An indi-
Granted, none of us knew the first thing about drilling wells in vidual named Timothy Hsieh generously decided to match our
a developing country and understood it was no simple matter, funds so that another well could be drilled in Babianeha (beh-
yet we nonetheless shared a mutual conviction that the cause be-ah-ne-ha), a village about 10 miles from Nso Nyame ye with
was hugely important and the idea at least worth exploring. a similarly dire water supply situation. After battling through
The project had its humble beginnings. Uncertain where to various project hold-ups and a season of exceptional rain and ill
even begin, we fumbled about talking to random people, con- weather, the wells were finally constructed towards the begin-
tacting various organizations, and searching online for any re- ning of June 2008.
sources we could get our hands on. Then, through a series of
conference calls with Uncle Fred, things started to amazingly During one of our conference calls with Uncle Fred towards
come together. We tentatively approached Uncle Fred, expect- the latter stages of the project, he posed the idea of us travel-
ing him to likely (and quite reasonably) pass off our idea as just ing back to Ghana to be present for the commissioning service
another whimsical notion from a group of well-intentioned, yet of the wells and to also have the opportunity to visit some
naïve and inexperienced guys. Instead, Uncle Fred listened to other villages throughout the country with pressing water sup-
us with the utmost interest and enthusiasm, and even sent us ply needs. Looking at our depleted bank accounts, busy work
a list of previous clean water projects that Pioneers had initi- schedules, and endless responsibilities back at home, we ini-
ated throughout rural Ghana. He knew the issues, had strong tially wavered - yet that was bound to last for only a second. The
relationships with the right people, and could get the job done. opportunity was too amazing for us to pass up, and for a group
As if the skies had just miraculously opened, we suddenly had as naturally restless as ourselves, the thought of packing up our
a partner with not only a wealth of experience in implement- bags and flying back out to the other side of the world was far
ing this type of project and a strong local presence in the target too irresistible. In a relatively short time frame, we scrambled to
communities, but perhaps most significantly, one whom we had make our travel arrangements, secure our visas, and receive our
a deep trust in. dreaded immunizations.
We decided to call the project Well Done - a statement reflecting And just like that, on June 19th, 2008, our bags were packed and
our belief that through the most basic of efforts and even with we were flying back out to Ghana...
the simplest of ideas, a commitment to drilling one well in one
9 – 10
Fred Dimado, more commonly referred to as “Uncle” Fred, is officials, businesses, and the media, Uncle Fred is a champion
National Director of Pioneers-Ghana. From actively working in of the underrepresented and a combatant of poverty in the ut-
remote villages throughout the country, to managing the activi- most sense of the term. He is a trusted leader, a respected role
11 – 12
Well Done
13 – 14
Well Done
A Call to Responsibility
and Action
After our introduction to the chief and tour of the village, we between public and private donors, agencies, non-governmen-
proceeded on to the commissioning service. Many parties had tal organizations, and communities to work towards improving
come together for the occasion, including representatives from the quality of life for those living in the most deprived areas of
Pioneers-Ghana, the Community Water and Sanitation Agency the nation, such as the villages we were currently working in.
(CWSA, the governmental agency overseeing all rural water
and sanitation development in the country), the Abura-Asebu Kofi Opoku Tufuor, the Central Regional Director of the CWSA,
Kwamankese District Assembly, and of course, the residents of challenged the villagers to take ownership of and responsibil-
the villages themselves. A journalist from the Graphic, Ghana’s ity for the new wells to ensure their long-term sustainability.
most widely distributed newspaper, and a reporter from Ghana He further encouraged the community to take the momentum
TV3 were also on hand to cover the events. After a few native of our efforts and enhance the effectiveness of the clean water
Ghanaian songs of celebration and thanks, several speeches project by constructing sanitation facilities and improving hy-
were delivered to commission the wells, which ranged in topic gienic practices in the villages.
and emphasis.
The ceremony concluded with the chief and representatives of
Jim Yoon spoke on behalf of the BRUTE LABS team, humbly ac- the villages expressing their sincere gratitude for the hard work
knowledging the group’s small role in the project and giving and sacrifice of each of the parties. Soon after the ceremony, the
thanks to all of the parties that had come together to turn a reporter from TV3 approached us, expressing amazement at all
small idea into an amazing reality. he had witnessed. He had lived in Ghana his entire life and had
ment to play a more active role facilitating a cohesive network across the nation.
“Brothers, this well does not only impact the people sitting
here before us, but has profound implications for future
generations to come…” –Fred Dimado during commissioning speech of Nso Nyame ye well
Banda
19 – 20
Dr. Margaret is a Ghanaian physician with a medical degree physician in the capital or even out of the country, yet she in-
from the UK. She oversees the Banda-Ligbi Health Centre, a stead single-handedly and tirelessly oversees the remote and
clinic established by Pioneers-Ghana and one of the few health understaffed clinic out of a passion to provide for her country’s
Meeting Heroes centers serving the region. Dr. Margaret’s experience and quali-
fications could readily secure her a well-compensated job as a
people who would otherwise have no access to basic, afford-
able healthcare.
21 – 22
Evans Twumasi Ansu, Seth Oteng Ofori, Evans Akosah, and Mi- School, the only high school among a regional population of
chaiah Amponsah, more commonly known as the Banda Boys, approximately 50,000 people. They symbolize the passage of a
Meeting Heroes are a group of four young men volunteering with Pioneers in
the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana. Despite demanding work and
torch - a new generation of native Ghanaians committed to the
welfare of the country’s most underrepresented and neglected
living conditions, minimal recognition, and limited financial communities and children.
23 – 24
A Truck Ride Through
Bui National Park
After having spent the morning observing some of Pioneers’ ongoing ef-
forts in the Banda-Ligbi area, we hopped in the bed of a pickup truck to
begin our journey to the Kamancheli and Mekoda villages. This ride took
us through the Bui National Park, which stretches for 50 kilometers along
the border between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. The rarely visited Bui Na-
tional Park is one of the largest protected areas in Ghana, and though we
were unaware of this at the time, also home to the densest hippopota-
mus population in West Africa. The conditions of the dirt road through
the park and onward were perhaps the worst we had experienced yet, as
we found ourselves constantly ducking to dodge the overhanging trees
lining the road while fiercely gripping onto the sides of the truck bed.
Along our way, we gave rides to a group of children making their long
trek home from school, as well as a woman carrying a large load of crops
back to her village. They each stayed on the truck for nearly half an hour
before reaching their destinations. We had heard the stories before, but
now observed the hard reality of making these arduous treks on a daily
basis by foot.
Not all was given to such serious thought and observation though. The
Banda Boys had joined us for the visit to the villages, and during the car-
ride, they posed us a question that apparently crosses all cultures and
continents - a question for the ages. They asked, “…if both our mother
and our newly-wed wife were drowning at the same time and we were
left with the choice to save only one of them, whom would it be?” So right
there, getting knocked around in the back of a beat-up pickup truck while
journeying through the middle of the African jungle, a group of guys from
California had a good laugh with a group of guys from Ghana who though
from completely different cultures and opposite sides of the world, are
not only engaged in the same work to serve the Banda-Ligbi people, but
share in the same humor and passions. It was a foolish, yet glorious mo-
ment that we’ve held onto closely from our time in Ghana.
25 – 26
Meeting Heroes
Koby
Koby serves on the Pioneers-Ghana staff, overseeing the organi- implementation of the project, Koby faithfully worked in the
zation’s activities in the Central Region of the country. We first trenches, toiling through physical hardship and ill weather to
met Koby during our initial trip to Ghana in 2005, then a young see the effort through. Individuals such as Koby are the true
staff member still in training. As we reunited with Koby only champions of projects such as ours. He receives little outside
a few years later, we witnessed an individual who has grown recognition for his hard work, yet remains steadfast in his com-
remarkably in his leadership within the organization and in mitment to serving those in need on an intimate and face-to-
his committed service to the Cape Coast people, including the face level.
villages in which both our wells are located. Throughout the
27 – 28
Banda
A People in Need
After over an hour-long truck ride, we finally arrived in Kaman- productivity would be boosted, and so forth. For Kamancheli
cheli and Mekoda. Like Nso Nyame ye and Babianeha, we were and Mekoda, the lack of clean water clearly equated to a debili-
introduced to the chiefs and given a tour of the villages. Dur- tating stagnation in the improvement of living conditions.
ing this time, the chief and villagers explained their current wa-
ter situations to us. Both villages lack any reliable, local water The plight of these people was further illuminated to us in an
source beyond a few unprotected ponds and streams that fill eye-opening encounter. During our tour of the villages, a man
with muddy water during a heavy rainfall. In the absence of this approached us and reached out his hands for us to see, expos-
unreliable and unsafe supply, the villagers walk several miles on ing rough calluses and deep scars covering his palms. Unable
foot to fetch water from another village in the region. This long to understand his native Ghanaian dialect, we asked Uncle Fred
trek is made on a daily basis during the dry season, most often what the man was trying to communicate to us. Uncle Fred’s re-
by the young children and women of the village. During our sponse was heartrending. For several months, the worker along
time at Kamancheli, we actually witnessed one such group of with other men in the village had been trying to dig through the
children returning home from their day-long journey to retrieve soil to reach water using makeshift tools and their bare hands.
water. These children were relegated to this task by necessity, However, without the proper mechanized tools and equipment,
and were therefore unable to attend school or engage in other they were left to hopelessly dig into the ground to no resolve, in
more nurturing and productive activities. the process tearing their hands upon the hard rock that is even-
tually encountered several feet before reaching any substantial
Upon gaining a better understanding of the region’s geography, amount of water.
we learned that the tragedy of the situation is that the villages
are literally sitting atop an abundance of freshwater. The vil- Despite living under such difficult circumstances, the villagers
lages of Kamancheli and Mekoda are located in a tropical re- of Kamancheli and Mekoda carried a strong sense of dignity
gion of the country that experiences large quantities of annual about them, both hosting us with great courtesy and refusing
rainfall, some of which seeps into the soil and eventually into to simply take on the attitude of a struggling beneficiary. Out
the groundwater system, saturating pores in the granular soil of what little they had, they even offered our group a valuable
and fractures in the underlying rock. If accessed with a prop- rooster as a gift of appreciation to us for visiting their villages.
erly sited and constructed well, this groundwater source could Through our observations of these people - their perseverance
provide a safe and sustainable water supply for the basic needs in the face of adversity and their dignity in stature - we formed
of the community far into the foreseeable future. The children an immense respect for these individuals and communities
and women would no longer be relegated to spending their and feel privileged at the mere possibility of working alongside
days hauling loads of water home to their families, disease and them in the future them to develop a solution to their pressing
sickness rates would dramatically decrease, village trade and water supply crisis.
29 – 30
“We’ve been trying to dig a well
with our bare hands, but we’ve
hit rock. These are my scars.”
– Nabila Dibontio, a villager of Mekoda
A people of hospitality, a gift of appreciation.
Lessons Learned
35 – 36
Guiding Principles
& Lessons Learned
Community Involvement and
Ownership
Another key lesson we learned was the importance of commu- projects in the village (e.g. latrines, hand washing stations, etc.).
nity involvement and ownership in ensuring the long-term suc- The appropriate framework to institute is dependant upon the
cess of the project. The earlier and the more significantly the unique circumstances of any given community.
beneficiary community is involved, the greater the likelihood
that the facility will be well cared for into the future. In our The encouragement of meaningful community involvement
case, this involved close community interaction and education throughout the project process and beyond does not only in-
prior to and during construction of the well. In addition, the crease the likelihood of the project’s effectiveness and long-
project scope included facilitating the formulation of a WATSAN term viability, but just as significantly assigns the proper
committee. This is a group of villagers appointed by the com- respect, dignity, and responsibility to the beneficiaries - some-
munity to oversee the operations and maintenance of the well. thing that individuals living anywhere in the world, under how-
Prior to the construction of the well, this group is thoroughly ever extenuating circumstances, rightfully deserve.
educated and equipped with the resources to take on this re-
sponsibility. Under the regional scheme of the Community
Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), the WATSAN committee is
A Holistic Approach
furthermore connected with a regional, professional well care-
A clean water supply is only part of the solution. In the fight to
taker. This regional caretaker is available to provide support
combat waterborne diseases and related problems, sanitation
to the WATSAN committee during cases of serious mechanical
is often the critical missing component. Both experts repeat-
failure or to provide replacement parts which otherwise would
edly stressed this oft neglected consideration during our dis-
be extremely difficult for the village to obtain. Through estab-
cussions. Water and sanitation are intricately linked, and the
lishment of such a local and regional governance structure over
effectiveness of a clean water project is highly dependant upon
the operations and maintenance of the well, the village is no
a parallel effort to improve sanitation facilities and hygienic
longer dependant upon an outside body to ensure the ongoing
practices in the selected community. This can be promoted
productivity of the well, but rather takes this responsibility di-
through various means such as the construction of latrines, the
rectly into its own hands.
education of villagers on proper hygienic practices, the provi-
sion of hand washing taps from a clean water supply, and so
While the Nso Nyame ye and Babianeha wells were entirely
forth. A clean water source opens the door for potential im-
funded by outside support, we learned that another effective
provement in sanitation practices, while the implementation
means to promote community ownership over the well is by in-
of the latter fully realizes the efficacy of the clean water project
cluding the village as an actual financial stakeholder in the proj-
in terms of health impact and life expectancy. In the case of
ect. This involvement can take on many different forms and lev-
the Nso Nyame ye and Babianeha villages, we plan to continue
els, including a community down-payment for a portion of the
working through Pioneers-Ghana and the CWSA to encourage
well construction costs, contribution into an account reserved
the communities to initiate sanitation projects now that a clean
for costs associated with long-term maintenance of the well, or
water source has been provided for. In the future, promotion of
development of a “pay as you grab” system, in which villagers
sanitation efforts along with our clean water focus will be an
pay some universally affordable rate as they retrieve water that
even more integral component of our project approach.
can either help cover the capital cost of the well, support its on-
going maintenance, or possibly even fund other development
37 – 38
Guiding Principles
& Lessons Learned
A Guiding Philosophy –
But a Small Part of a Big Picture
Beyond the technical details and logistical nuances of imple-
menting a successful clean water project, our most significant
takeaway was the realization that we are merely a small part of
a much bigger picture. During our travels, we encountered sev-
eral amazing individuals who are working to tackle the clean
water problem head-on in various capacities - from volunteer-
ing in non-governmental organizations and running concerned
businesses, to working in government or raising awareness
through journalism. Through meeting these individuals, we
discovered that we are simply a small piece of a much greater
and more powerful whole. Real solutions and change can only
be enacted as these pieces come together in working towards
a common, visionary goal – in our case, this goal being the al-
leviation of water-related sickness and poverty in rural Ghana
through the provision of clean water and sanitation. This belief
in the power of the collective to enact real change – a belief that
BRUTE LABS is built upon – was strongly reaffirmed through all
that we saw and encountered during our travels in Ghana. The
affirmation has pushed us to move forward more strongly than
ever in our work understanding that we, too, are a small, yet sig-
nificant contributor to this endeavor.
39 – 40
A Different Perspective
Greg’s Experience
Over a year ago in May of 2007, Josh To approached me with Then we had a phone call. After a conference with Uncle Fred, I family and friends-of-family personally, explaining the need in for the well’s dedication and inauguration. The choice to stay in
an idea. He wanted to push the limits beyond anything BRUTE felt a bit more optimistic. Over the crackling Skype call to some- Ghana as well as our ability to make a real difference. I felt it the US was difficult for me, but I felt like the financial burden of
LABS had ever attempted. When BRUTE LABS was conceived, our where in central Ghana, Fred started to convince me that this was important to put my money where my mouth was and so travelling to Ghana was too much to handle at the time.
idea was to launch as many projects as possible and to make project might be possible. Uncle Fred had experience. He knew I decided to make the largest charitable donation I’ve ever con-
a measurable impact on the world for good. At that point, we people who could survey the land and a local contractor to drill sidered - $1000 of my own hard earned cash. Much of the contents of this report recount the details of the
had launched a handful of projects, all of which had humble the “borehole,” as he termed it. He had pricing estimates and team’s trip to Ghana, the people they met and the community
but notable results. We had focused on things that were rela- most importantly to me, he had faith in our team. I think that what convinced me to contribute was how personal our well is helping today. When our team returned, I was given
tively easy, close to our community and could be done in about the donation was. Instead of writing a check to a large organi- a ceremonial sash matching the ones Josh and the rest of the
a month. But this idea was different. “I want to dig a well,” Josh I left that call feeling empowered because I now had a goal that zation with many administrative costs, I knew that my check team wore at the well’s dedication ceremony. Though I didn’t
said, “...in Ghana.” I knew how to achieve. We needed eight thousand dollars, and would create one-eighth of a well for a real community on the have the opportunity to physically meet the people I’d helped, I
I thought that if I could convince a small number of people to other side of the world. feel connected to them in a real way. I felt as if I’d been acknowl-
Now I wasn’t shocked by his ambition, but to be honest, I felt take an emotional stake in the project’s success, I’d be able to edged not only at the ceremony, but also as a person who had
overwhelmed at the idea. Africa to me was a far away and in- get those same people to take a proportionate financial stake It was amazing to watch the project move forward from there. made a measurable impact on their lives. The feeling is inde-
timidating place – people there face real challenges like famine, in the project. We approached the ideal season for drilling and Uncle Fred let scribable to know what has resulted from project Well Done.
AIDS, malaria and civil unrest. I, as a young Silicon Valley type in us know that we’d broken ground. Josh and several members of
my twenties, felt under-qualified to say the least. To be honest, it didn’t take long to reach our target. I talked to the BRUTE LABS team started making plans to travel to Ghana Greg
41 – 42
Developing a Clean Water Solution
Developing a Clean Water Solution – The Process
The general process for developing and implementing a clean water
solution is sequenced in the timeline below
Site Investigation,
Form a Village Technology Selection, Commissioning
Water Committee & Engineering Design Facility Construction Water Quality Testing & Engineering Report
The first step in initiating a clean water This stage involves a preliminary investiga- Once an appropriate technology is selected Once the facility is constructed, a water Finally, the well or other facility is commis-
project is the formulation of a village tion of the project site to determine the and the facility has been designed, the quality sample is taken and sent to a sioned and readied for community use. By
water committee that will be intimately most effective clean water solution consid- construction process begins. This often certified laboratory for testing to ensure this time, the village water committee has
involved throughout the project from the ering the local conditions. While the involves hiring of a third-party contractor, that it meets World Health Organization been fully educated on the proper use and
early planning and construction stages to construction of a borehole is common, unless staff and equipment is available standards. If the water is tested maintenance of the facility. A final report is
the ongoing operations and maintenance other options exist including the rehabilita- in-house among the project partners. non-compliant, treatment options must be developed by the project engineer and/or
of the constructed facility. This group will tion of an orphan borehole, the develop- Construction duration varies highly depend- investigated to remove the contaminant hydrogeologist documenting the construc-
be thoroughly educated with the ment of a rainwater harvesting system, the ing upon the availability of resources and of concern. tion of the well for future reference.
adequate skills and provided with the treatment and diversion of a surface water materials, weather conditions, and transpor-
necessary resources to oversee opera- supply, or the construction of a hand-dug tation capacity. In Ghana, the construction
tions of the well or facility once the well. The criteria considered in selecting the window typically lasts from January-April to
project is completed. most appropriate technology include avoid construction during the rainy season.
reliability and quality of the proposed
supply, geographical constraints, and
associated costs.
Form a Site Investigation, Technology Facility Construction Water Quality Testing Commissioning &
Village Water Comittee Selection, & Engineering Design Engineering Report
PVC 1,000
Gravel 200
Fuel 1,500
EQ 1,100
Staff 200
Total $8,000
45 – 46
Farewell
The trip wouldn’t feel quite complete without a final car ride As we sat at the airport staring out over the glimmering lights
back to Accra. For one last time, Uncle Fred manned the of the Ghanaian capital, a thousand thoughts and emotions
wheel of our rented 4Runner as we embarked on the strenu- flooded our minds. The trip had simply been one incredible
ous twelve-hour trek from Banda to Accra. We arrived back in experience after another. We thought of all the monumental
the capital near midnight, drained and exhausted. The arrival moments - commissioning the wells in Nso Nyame ye and Babi-
back to Accra was bittersweet, as we were relieved to be back aneha, meeting with government officials and water experts,
in familiar surroundings and nearer our beds, yet knew this giving a speech before journalists and the press, shaking hands
was also the time we’d have to say our goodbyes to Uncle with village chiefs, watching children and families drink water
Fred, who would awake at dawn the next morning to tirelessly from the wells. We laughed over some of the lighter ones - rid-
travel back to Cape Coast by public bus and resume an ongoing ing in cars and trucks for hours on end with our backs bent in
course he had been attending in non-profit management. Over a single awkward position, clumsily balancing our buckets of
the long and eventful week, Uncle Fred had hosted us with the cold water and baskets of toiletries during our early morning
warmth and care of a family member, guided us with his words showers, sweating profusely in a hundred percent humidity
of experience and wisdom, and taught us through an amazing through the night while hopelessly staring at a broken fan. Yet
example of sacrifice and commitment. Saying our farewells above all the experiences, sights, and situations that flashed
with him was perhaps one of the most difficult moments of through our heads, one feeling ran through it all as we re-
our trip. We parted with grateful words and long hugs, uncer- flected in that airport - sheer gratitude. In the end, we realized
tain when we’d meet again. we were simply an inexperienced group of guys from California
with nothing but a small idea, and the fact that we had just
That night we slept like babies, finally free of the anxiety and taken part in such an amazing journey was somewhat beyond
uncertainty that had marked every other night of our trip in our comprehension, most certainly beyond our merit.
Ghana. We awoke early the next morning to have our final
Ghanaian breakfast, pack our bags, and say our goodbyes to Looking back at our first trip to Ghana three years ago, our last-
the Pioneers guesthouse staff. During the afternoon, we visit- ing image from that time was the seemingly hopeless picture
ed a marketplace in the heart of the capital to buy our custom- of a group of young children, unknowingly swallowing their
ary gifts for family and friends back home. Determined not to malaria pills with the contaminated water that is a very source
play the part of the naïve tourist, we spent hours fiercely hag- of much of their illness and suffering. In vivid transforma-
gling over every dollar and cent spent on every bracelet and tion, the lasting image from our past trip was that of a joyful
postcard acquired. With our packs and duffels now bursting mother feeding her young child a cup of clean water from the
at the seams, we were given a ride by Steven, another Pioneers newly drilled well in Nso Nyame ye. In the end, we were simply
staff volunteer, to Kotoka International Airport to catch our thankful and humbled to have both been part of a trip that has
departing flight to London. undoubtedly changed our lives, and one that has hopefully
also impacted the lives of others in a real and lasting way.
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Well Done Team Acknowledgements
Pioneers is a Christian missions organization working among Andrew Truong, Erica Liu, James Buyayo, Jason Shafton, and
various people groups throughout the world. Pioneers-Africa Joshua Knox.
is an affiliate organization of Pioneers.
BRUTE LABS is a small group of young people dedicated to
action. Focusing on the world around them, they embody the
Partners and Collaborators notion that it’s much better to try and fail than to have never
tried at all. Whether responding to disasters such as Cyclone
All the other organizations involved in this effort, who each Nargis in Myanmar by selling limited t-shirts to raise relief
played a unique role in making Project Well Done a success: funds, or addressing a local need to improve physical educa-
Ardy Ghanbar tion, the BRUTE LABS team strives for ways to tangibly impact
Daniel Frempong, Director of Beza-Lel Water and Agro Services the global community.
Ardy Ghanbar, an avid marathoner and aspiring mountaineer The Community Water and Sanitation Agency
with a deep passion for travel and adventure resides in South- The Abura-Asebu Kwamankese District Assembly For more information, visit:
ern California working in accounting and finance. The Daily Graphic Ghana
TV3 Network Limited (TV3 Ghana) www.brutelabs.org
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A Path Forward
During our initial discussions to launch this effort, we arrived The work just as significantly involves educating and empow-
at the project name of “Well Done.” To us, this was much more ering communities to develop holistic, on-the-ground solutions
than just a catchy title, but a deliberate and meaningful reflec- that can be readily implemented and locally sustained. It in-
tion of our focus at the time - the goal to impact lives through volves forming meaningful and fruitful partnerships between
the drilling of one well in one village. This was all new to us, non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, and private
and we felt strongly about actually accomplishing something businesses that all play a unique role in developing real-world
achievable albeit self-restrained, rather than merely talking solutions to a complex problem. It involves utilizing creative
about something lofty yet impractical. From first initiating a media and informative publications to raise awareness of an
partnership with Pioneers-Ghana, to over a year of working on issue that is far too important to be forgotten or ignored by or-
the project implementation, to actually traveling to Ghana to ganizations, policy-makers, and the general public. It can just
visit and commission the completed wells, the experience has as meaningfully be performed from our very homes, schools,
flashed before our eyes, and the well (indeed wells) are sud- and offices as it can be abroad and in the field. The work is nei-
denly, in fact, done. In one sense, this has been an accomplish- ther isolated to a single village nor even a single country, but
ment of an immediate goal we had set before ourselves and the extends out to places like Kamancheli, Mekoda, and anywhere
literal realization of our project name. In a much greater sense, else in the world in which people lack access to clean drinking
the completion of these wells has felt far more like a beginning water. The work is ever-engaging, immensely challenging, and
than an end. broadly encompassing. Accordingly, project “Well Done,” and
the concept that title signifies, is only as engaging, challenging,
After all that we’ve experienced and learned, “Well Done” has and encompassing as we are committed to making it. So while
taken on new meanings for us. We’ve come to realize that the our well is drilled and our trip has ended - our pens are ready,
work to be done encompasses far more than merely drilling a our voices intact, and our bags still packed. Thankfully, “Well
well in a single location and leaving the rest to work itself out. Done” is really a trip that has only just begun.
To find out where we’re headed and how you can get involved,
please visit us at:
www.brutelabs.org/welldone
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www.brutelabs.org/welldone